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| Iran |
| Iran ’violating nuclear treaty’ |
| 2003-05-07 |
| WASHINGTON - Iran has done little to cooperate with UN inspectors on its nuclear programme, according to the US. The comment by a senior American official on Tuesday reinforces Washington's view that Teheran is violating a key treaty and should face more international pressure. 'Nothing that we have seen suggests the Iranians are being transparent about their nuclear activities in the true meaning of transparent,' said the official, who declined to be named. 'It's deny and deceit, cheat and retreat. Nothing that we see about the programme convinces us that they are in compliance with the 1970 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.' Washington has intelligence about Iran's programme and has made some of it available to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran defended its nuclear programme at a closed IAEA briefing in Vienna on Tuesday, insisting that it was peaceful. Iran looms as a major issue when the agency, the United Nations bureau for overseeing compliance with non-proliferation commitments, holds a board meeting next month. If director-general Mohammed ElBaradei reports to the board of governors that Iran is not complying with the treaty, the board's response could lead to another nuclear stand-off. The United States is already locked in a confrontation with North Korea over nuclear issues. The senior official said that if the board found non-compliance by Iran, the matter should be reported to the UN Security Council. He did not spell out what steps Washington might then endorse. The Bush administration is grappling with the issue now that the Iraq war is winding down and disturbing new details have been revealed about Teheran's nuclear activities. Assistant Secretary of State for Non-Proliferation John Wolf said last week that Iran provided 'perhaps the most fundamental' challenge ever to the bedrock treaty, which was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. He accused Iran of conducting 'an alarming, clandestine programme to acquire sensitive nuclear capabilities that we believe make sense only as part of a nuclear weapons programme'. A February visit by Mr ElBaradei confirmed Iran had the ability to build gas centrifuges, a key component in nuclear weapons production. The US has branded Iran a major sponsor of terrorism, Senior Iranian officials have said they are committed to developing the full range of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The IAEA found an accelerated programme which forced US officials to shorten their estimates as to when Iran might acquire weapons capability. Teheran is said to be on track to produce enough enriched uranium for many nuclear bombs by 2005. Since February, Mr ElBaradei has sought more information and, according to the BBC, on Tuesday praised Iran for cooperating with the IAEA. US Undersecretary of State John Bolton left Moscow on Tuesday apparently without winning Russia over to the US view. And French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who was visiting Teheran, said there was progress on the nuclear issue. \-- Reuters |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 And French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who was visiting Teheran, said there was progress on the nuclear issue. If he says that, then they'll probably be launching the missles towards here tomorrow. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-05-07 21:53:43 |